Apparatus for tapping mains.



PATEN TED MAR. 5, 190T W. H. VAN WINKLE. APPARATUS FOR TAPPING MAINS.

APPLIOATIO N FILED OOT.30, 1905.

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PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

w. H. VAN WINKLE. APPARATUS FOR TAPPING MAINS.

APILIOATION FILED 00130. 1905.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

.. avenues Maren 5, 1907,

Application filed October 30, 1905. Serial No. 284,942.

To all 'whont it Treaty concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. VAN VVINKLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatusfor Tapping Mains, of which the following is a description.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for tappingwater-mains and the like and make branch connections therewith withoutwithdrawing the pressure from such mains, which will be more effectiveand economical in use. I attain these objects by the mechanism in theaccompanying illustration, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation,partly in longitudinal section, of the complete machine embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof, taken on the lines 2 2 ofFig. l and looking in the direction of the arro v Fig. 3 is a largehorizontal section taken on the lines 3 3 of Fig. 1.

In all of the views like parts are designated by the same referencecharacters.

1 is the main which it is desired to tap without removing pressure fromthefluid thereof.

2 is the sleeve formed of two parts clamped around the main in thedesired position. and having a branch 3. Means is provided forpreventing leakage at the joints between the grooves of the surfacesabutting against the two. A convenient and satisfactory means for doingthis is disclosed in my copending application for patent filed October30, 1905, Serial No. 284,943.

T o the branch 3 is bolted or otherwise socured the valve-casing 4,having a valve therein. To the valve-casing 4 is attached anextension-coupling 5. This coupling is provided with a flange 6, whichisbolted to a corresp ending flange 7 on the frame 8 of thedrillingmachine. The extension-coupling 5 may be formed in differentsizes to accommodate different-sized mains. By makin the flange 6 ofsuch coupling of the same size as the flange 7 of the drilling-machineone size of drillingmachine may be employed to act with difiierentsizesof mains. The drillingmachine comprises a pilot-drill 9, a somewhatlarger hollow drill 9, and a saw 10, the drill 9 being for the purposeof first making an incision into the main to serve as a support for thepiece which is being cut out by the saw 10. These parts are mounted upona shaft l 11, which may be extended through the coupling5, thevalve-easing 4, and the branch. 3, so as to cause the cuttinginstruments to engage with the main. The shaft passes through astuifing-oox (not shown) and is supported by the bearing 12 at itsforward end. This bearing is preferably a rollerbearing, as shown. Theshaft 11 also passes l through a sleeve 13, which sleeve may be providedwith a bearing 14. This bearing may also be a rollerbearing.

The periphery of the sleeve 13 is threaded, as shown, and engages withina nut 15, carried by the frame 8. The sleeve 13 is provided withhandle-rods 16, by means of which it may be rotated and the drills setforward. A driving spur-gear 17 is loosely journaled on the shaft 11 andhas secured to its hub a thrust bearing 18', with whicr the end of thesleeve 13 enacts. This bearing is preferably a hall-bearing and is soconstructed that the gear 17 cannot be moved forward longitudinally uponthe shaft 11 except by the movement of the sleeve 13. The gear 17provide" with an elongated hub 19, having no 1168 therein. These notchesare adapted to engage with the pin 20, which may be passed irough one ofthe several holes 21, formed in the shaft 11. This provides a connectionbetween the gear 17 and the shaft 11 for rotating the latter. The gear17 is adapted engage with the elongated pinions 22, carried by theshafts 23, mounted on each side of the shaft 11 and carr'ed by bearingsen the frame 8. These shafts are rotated by means of spurgears 24, whichare eng 'ed by a gear 25, which is engaged by a pini 25. This 1 ion iscarried by a shaft Upon the shaft 26 is a spurgear 27, engag with thepinion 2S.

The pinion 28 mounted upon the driving-shaft of a gaselcnemotor 29. Themotor 29 is secured to a found rplate 30, secured the frame 8'. Thesystem. spurs and piniens produces a speed reduetian gearing by means ofwhich the relatively high speed of roaticn on *ae-shaft may betransmitted to the rela vely slow movement of the shaft 11 in order tosecure the proper cuttii'lg effect on the main 1. The shaft 11 isprovided with a collar 31, which may be secured in place by means of abolt 32. The l collar 81 is for securing the shaft against movementduring shipping. It is brought into action by sliding the shaft backuntil the head carrying the saw comes into contact with the frontbearing 12. Then the collar is slid along the shaft until it comes intocontact with the bearing 15. The collar is then secured by theset-screws. The outer end of the shaft 11 is provided with a pulley 341.

p The water-jacket of the motor 29 is connected, by means of a pipe 35,to the extension-coupling 5, so that water in the coupling 5 may passthrough the pipe 35 and through the water-jacket. Means is provided forsupplying water to the water-jacket before the coupling 5 becomesfilled, which means may consist of a reservoir 36, connected to the pipe35. Situated in the pipe 35 is a three-way valve 37, which may allowcommunication between the reservoir 36 and the water-jacket of the motorand cut off the connection between the extension-coupling and thewater-jacket, or the valve may be so set as to allow communicationbetween the extension-coupling and the water-jacket and out off tiatbetween the reservoir and waterjacket.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The sleeve 2 having beenattached to that portion of the main 1 which it is desired to tap, andthe branch 3 being located in the proper position, the sleeve is securedin place and the joints properly calked. The valvecasing 41 is thenbolted to the branch, the extension-coupling 5 is bolted on thevalve-casing, and the drillingmachine frame 8 is bolted to the coupling.The shaft 11 is then pushed inward until the bit 9 comes into engagementwith the main. The sleeve 13 is then rotated until it is moved to theextreme rearmost position The pin 20 is then introduced through one ofthe openings 21 in the shaft 11 between the slots on the hub of the gear17. The motor is then started, and by means of the gearing comprisingthe pinions and spurs 28, 27, 25, 25, 24, 22, and 17 the shaft 1 1 isrotated at the proper speed. The bit is fed against the work by manuallyrotating the sleeve 13 through the agency of the thrustbearing 18, andthe connection between the gear 17 and the shaft 11 will advance thelatter and cause the bit to engage with the work. After the twist-drill9 and hollow drill 9 have entered the pipe and the saw begins to act akey 33 is driven into a keyway 33 of the shaft and into a correspondingkeyway in the screw 13, thereby securing the screw and the shafttogether and making the feed automatic. As soon as the main isperforated the water will escape through the opening and will enter andfill the branch 3, the valvecasing 4L, and the extension-coupling 5. The

water can then escape through the pipe 35 and through the water-jacketon the motor. The amount of escaping water can be regulated by properlyproportioning the size of the pipe 35 or by the manipulation of the cook37. The rotation of the engine will be continued until the saw 10 hasremoved the piece of pipe which is being cut out. The motor will then bestopped. A rope will be passed around the pulley 24 and one end securedand the other hauled upon it, so as to relieve the pressure upon the pin19. This pin being taken out, the pressure of the fluid Within the main1 will force out the saw 10, and with it the shaft 11, and the rope maybe used to control the outward movement of the shaft 11. The valve inthe casing 4 may be then closed, the coupling 5 unbolted, and the branchmain attached.

If it is desired or necessary to avoid the use of a gas-engine, thedrills may be manually rotated by applying wrenches to the shaft 23. Theends of these shafts are squared at 38 for the attachment of suchwrenches.

The employment of a gasolene-engine attached to the frame of adrilling-machine is particularly advantageous, as it produces anextremely portable apparatus and one which will be self-contained. Thepit may be the minimum size and the cutting operation greatlyfacilitated. The water-jacket may be kept cool during the preliminarydrilling operation and before the water is allowed to escape into theextension-coupling 5 by means of a small amount of water which may besupplied by buckets into the reservoir 36. Instead of a gasolene-engineany other form of internal-combustion engine may be employed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In an apparatus for tapping mains, the combination with the coupling,and parts connected thereto, of a drillshaft, drill, and an annular saw,a frame for supporting the same, an internal-combustion engine mountedupon the frame, gears between the engine and shaft for rotating thelatter, and a connection between the coupling and water jacket of theengine, to admit water after the saw has been brought into action.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3d day of October, 1905.

WALTER H. VAN WINKLE.

Witnesses:

LEONARD H. DYER, JNo. RoBT. TAYLOR.

